NREGS scheme to be extended to HP, says CM

Shimla, Jan 25 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) will be extended to the entire state in a phased manner to ensure minimum 100 days of employment to the economically poor of the state.

''The scheme is already being successfully implemented in Chamba and Sirmaur districts of the state to provide at least 100 days of employment to the poor of these districts,'' he said while addressing a public meeting on the 37th Statehood Day at the state-level function held at Ani in Kullu district.

Mr Singh also unfurled the National Flag and took salute at an impressive march-past presented by the Himachal Pradesh Police, Home-Guard contingents at the function.

The state government had urged the Centre to extend the scheme initially to Shimla, Mandi and Kangra districts of the state in first phase and in the remaining districts in a phased manner, he said.

The people of the state would remain indebted to the country's former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who merged the hilly areas of Punjab state, with Himachal under the Punjab Reorganisation Act of 1966.

He said Himachal had emerged as a role model in social welfare, education, health, consumer affairs and in providing clean drinking water facility to its people in the country besides having meager financial resources at its disposal.

The number of schools in the state, which were 331 in 1948 only, had increased to 16,000 beside increasing the road network to 29,000 km from 228 km, he said.

He said his government had opened 16 new degree colleges in the rural areas of the state during the current financial year.

Quality infrastructure facilities were being created to cater to the modern education needs of the students, he said, adding that the state was committed to improve qaulity of education in the state.

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